Washing-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. G. BOSTON.

WASHING MAGHINE.

No. 439,628. Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet .2. W. G. BOSTON.

WASHING MACHINE. No. 439,628. I Patented Nov. 4, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM GEORGE BOSTON, OF DAVID CITY, NEBRASKA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,628, dated November4, 1890.

Application filed April 15, 1890.

Be it known that L'WILLIAM GEORGE Bos- TQN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at David City, in the county of Butler and State ofNebraska, have invented a new and useful VVashing-Machine, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to clothes-washing machines of that class knownas pounder.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the pounder maybe operated in any part of the tub, and means for supporting the pounderwhen not in use in such position that it will drip into the tub.

To this end the invention consists of the specific details ofconstruction tending to enhance the successful operation of and certainauxiliaries preferably used in connection with a machine of thischaracter, all as hereinafter more fully described, and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of thewashingmachine complete. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lever andpounder in raised position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective detail ofthe support and yoke. Fig. 4 is an enlarged frontelevation of thepounder which I prefer to use. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section ofthe same. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan thereof. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectionon the line 7 7 of Fig. 1, showing the thickness of the wooden strip asgreater than that of the bead around the upper edge of the tub.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter T designates a tub;S, a support at one side thereof; L, an operating-lever pivoted at oneend in said support, and I a pounder pivoted to said lever and adaptedto press clothes being washed against the bottom of the tub, all as iscommon and well-known in devices of this character.

Coming now to the present invention, the tub T,whieh is preferably ofgalvanized iron, and may be round, square, or of other shape, although Ido not limit myself to that material or to any particular shape, has astrip of wood W bolted upon its outer face near its upper edge, wherebythe thickness of the side of the tub at that point is rendered equal toor slightly greater than the thickness of the coil t around the upperedge of the metallic body of the tub. This thickened portion of SerialNo. 348,021. (No model.)

the tub is adapted to be clamped by the feet of a wringer, as will bereadily understood. In the bottom of the tub is a cock or faucet T, fordrawing off the contents when desired.

The support S comprises a metal strap M, bolted to the body of the tub,and a long spring S, connected to the tub near the bottom thereof andsecured at its upper end to the strap M. 'WVithin an upright holethrough the strap and spring is pivotally mounted the shank of a yoke Y,and a nut g on the lower extremity of the shank thereof bears againstthe lower face of the spring and retains the yoke in position. Theoperating-lever L is pivoted on a transverse bolt Zin the upper end ofthe yoke, and near said pivot has a shoulder H, as shown in thedrawings, for a purpose to appear further on.

A rod R, having a bifurcated upper end provided with transverse alignedholes, supports the pounder P. Through a pair of said holes is passed abolt 1', whereby the poundersupporting rod R is pivoted to theoperatinglever L, and between the upper extremes, or, rather, in theouter bifurcated end of the rod R, is rigidly mounted a wooden knob K,for a purpose to appear hereinafter. The pounder P, which I prefer touse, is connected to this rod, and has a conieally-shaped body providedat its apex with an upright tube U. Then I employ this tube, Ipreferably locate a spiral spring G within it, and connect to the upperend of said spring a perforated cap C, and to the lower end thereof avalve V. The use of the cap and valve connected by a spring is wellknown in washing-machine pounders, and I therefore lay no claim thereto;and the operation and utility of this construction will be wellunderstood by a person skilled in the art.

The face of my pounder is constructed in the following improved manner:The lower end of the conical body is of course made cupshaped andprovided with a fiat bottom 19, through which the valve V opens at itscenter. Concentric around this valve is a number of circular partitionsA, and in the upper edge of each of the partitions is formednotches a,whereby the compartment below the valve is caused to communicate at thebottom of the cup-shaped face of the pounder with the balance of theannular portion, all as shown in Fig.6. Thisspecifie constructionofpouuder face is made without respect to the manner in which the valve'Vis controlled, and does not necessitate the employment of the tube U,spring G, nor perforated cap G, as above de scribed, although I preferto employ them.

In operation the suds and clothes are placed in the tub and the pounderbrought down upon them to elfect the washing, in a manner which will bewell understood. The face of the pounder is moved within the tub onaline parallel with the operating-lever by grasping a knob K and movingit in the proper direction, and said face can also be moved at rightangles to this direction by moving the free end of the lever, the innerend of the latter turning the yoke Y in its pivotal seat, in a mannerwhich will be well understood. This specific construction thereforepermits the pounder to be brought to any position in the tub without thenecessity of wetting the hands by grasping any part of the device whichis submerged, or by even grasping any part of the device which is ofmetal, and therefore likely to be hot. After the washing has beencompleted and it is desired to remove the clothes from the tub, theoperating-lever and the pounder are turned back on the pivot Z to theposition shown in Fig. 2. In this position the shoulder H of the lOVGlLrests against the back of the yoke Y, the pounder P turns upon thesupporting-bolt r of its rod R, the upper end of the tube U strikes theupper side of the lever, and the open face of the pounder is supporteddirectly above the tub 'l, the line of the lower side of the conicalpounder when in this position being inclined, so that any water or sudswhich may have accumulated within the face of the pounder and which mayadhere thereto when the 1atter is raised will run out of such face atthe lower side of the pounder in this position and drip directly intothe tub.

With the above construction of parts a washingmachine is producedwherein the pounder may be brought to any desired position within thetub and then vertically reciprocated to wash the clothes. Moreover, whenthe pounder is in raised position and the mouth of the tub is free forthe insertion or removal of clothes the drippings from the pounder willfall into the tub and will not wet the operators clothing or soil thefloor.

Having thus described my invention, I claim The combination, with thetub, a metallic support secured thereto, and a spring secured at itslower end to the body of the tub and at its upper end to said support,of the yoke, whose shank is journaled in an upright 1101c through saidstrap and spring, a lever pivoted between the upper ends of the sidearms of the yoke, a shoulder on said lever adjacent to its pivot, and apounder connected to said lever, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM GEORGE BOSTON.

Vitnesses:

HERMAN H. SHULTZ, JOHN JORDAN.

